Dining Table Size
How big of a dining table to you really need? If you have one that's larger than you typically serve, you can get as much as half a room back by using a smaller one. You can always store the larger one away for special occasions or get a table that can easily expand when you have guests over. It makes no sense to have a table for 8 if only two or four people use it most days.
Furniture with a Purpose
Each piece of furniture should have a purpose. If you don't use it, it's just taking up space. This doesn't mean you have to live with spartan efficiency. Relaxation and downtime are purposes. It does mean that furniture you have just to have it is taking up your space.
Shelving
You can store one layer of items against a wall, and it looks downright messy when you do. Or you can use shelves to store multiple layers in a way that looks clean and organized. Just know each shelf's weight rating so you don't overburden it.
Wave Goodbye to TV Cabinets
New TVs are all flat-screen, which means they're easy to mount on the wall. You can move the TV cabinet elsewhere. This frees up a section of space to make more room for seating, a coffee table, or an open play area. The cabinet itself can still be useful, but now it can be placed out of the way and store more since the TV is mounted elsewhere.
Dual-purpose rooms
If a room can be used for more than one purpose, that means it can create space in another room. If you have a room to relax in and a room to work out in, combine it into one room and free up the second. You can use a curtain or other elements to define spaces in the room, but chances are you're not working out and playing video games or reading a book at the same time – so one room can serve both purposes. Do this in ways that make sense for your life; the best dual-purpose rooms will combine different things for different people.
Streamline Your Aesthetic
Are you displaying everything nice you own at once? Then your aesthetic is probably all over the place. There's nothing wrong with that, but it does give you an opportunity to organize and increase living space in your apartment. Select a specific style you want to highlight. Maybe it's centered around your fine china, some paintings, or a style of furniture you love. Display what fits that aesthetic. Safely pack up what doesn't and put it into storage.
This frees up a ton of space, and you can always change the style up when you want a fun project down the road.
Rely on Storage
Use your storage spaces. People all have a tendency to keep things around that “they'll get to” or “use one day.” If you haven't gotten to it in several months and there are still a few things in front of it on your list, chuck it in storage. You can grab it in three months or a year, whenever you do get to it. When you do, bring whatever you're done using to take its place. This applies to furniture, books, pretty much all stuff.
If your closets are empty but your living space is overflowing, you already have the easiest solution in the world to begin fixing that problem in an organized way.
Mirrors, Windows, and Colors
This doesn't create more actual living space, but it does make an area feel more open and relaxing. The more light in a space, the more open and stress-free it feels. Drawing curtains and blinds back lets the light in. Mirrors reflect it and make the space feel more open. Finally, lighter colors in the room reflect the light rather than absorbing it. This makes a room feel more expansive. Rooms that combine these elements feel fresher.
Make Tough Decisions
There will always be that stack of books you hold onto because setting aside the time to read them is a goal. Nothing about that changes if you put them in a box with other things and store them. Your storage is easy to reach. Your goal doesn't have to change. This applies to everything.
Maybe it's furniture from your grandmother, a box of old family photos, old yearbooks, newspapers, and magazines, a project you want to get to. Storing what you're not using now doesn't change those items in any way. It doesn't change your goal for them. It doesn't make them mean less and it doesn't make you less likely to use them if you're not already using them. What you do with them comes from inside of you, not their presence constantly underfoot. Recognize this and you'll be willing to store a lot more when creating space in an apartment.
Donate or Sell
One person’s unused items are another’s treasure. Go through your clothing, books, dishes, and other items to see what you can donate. You can also organize the neighbors and host a multi-person yard sale or post items online via eBay, Facebook, or local forums.
Freeing up space in your apartment will make it easier to clean and provide you with a nice, uncluttered living space that welcomes you home day after day! If you would like more information about Regency Park's spacious apartments, contact us, or simply apply today.